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G. H. KLINE.

PROCESS 0E DISTILLING PETROLEUM.

No. 353,362. Patentsd Nov. 30, 1886.

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ihvrrn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE H. KLINE, OF PAMRAPO, NEIV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-IIALF TO A. C.HENDERSON, OF BROOKLYN, NEI/V YORK. l

PROCESS OF DlSTlLLlNG PETROLEUM.

SIBECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 353,362, datedNoyember 30, 1886.

Application filed August 3, 1885.

To @ZZ whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, GEORGE II. KLINE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Para rapo, Hudson county, New Jersey, have invented a newand useful Process of Distilling Petroleum, of which the following is aspecification.

In the ordinary processes of' distillation of petroleum the separationof the lighter ingredients from the heavy oils and from foreign matteris incomplete. The theory of the ordinary processes is that the lighteringredients are dist-illed at a lower temperature than the heavier, andthat therefore by beginning at a comparativelylow temperature andgradually increasing it the lighter ingredients are driven off andcollected first and the heavier ingredients last. In practice, however,the vapors of the lighter ingredients carry with them more or less ofthe heavier oils and foreign matters, which tends greatly to impair thecompleteness of the separation.

Many attempts have been made to overcome the above difliculty withoutsatisfactory success in practice.

One part of my invention is based upon the discovery that when a propermaterial is interposed in the path of the vapors from pctroleum thelighter vapors may pass through the same, but will bc 4relieved of theheavy oil and foreign matter carried with them, and that the heavy oilwill be substantially condensed and redistilled until the condition ofthe vapors is that which is proper for distillng when the vapors will nolonger be condensed by the material, but will pass out through it.

One part of my invention consists in a process which I have devised formaking use of the above discovery.

Another part of myinvention consist-s in au arrangement of the exit-pipefrom the still and provision for cooling it, whereby the heavier 'vaporswill be condensed and flow back into the still, while the lighter vaporswill pass over into the condenser.

In the drawing I have shown a longitudinal section of an apparatussuitable for carrying out my process.

A is an ordinary still, which may be of any ordinary form. If of theform shown in the Serial No. 173,313. (No specimens.)

drawing it is preferably provided with a turret, B. The turret is notmaterial. The furnace is arranged at the lower part of the still, asshown in the drawing.

, O is the pipe through which the vapors are conducted away from thestill. I prefer that this pipe should incline upward as it leaves thcstill, as shown, so that any oil condensing in it will ilow back intothe still rather than 6o onward into the condenser. This pipe passesthrough a device for cooling it to a limited eX- tent-such as thecondensing-pan G. The temperature of the water or cooling material inthis pan should always be such as not to condense the lighter vapors,which it is desired shouldl pass over, but simply sufficient to condensethe heavier vapors, which will then ilow back into the still forredistillation. Vhen these vapors which thus fiow back into 7o the stillare redistilled they will come up in a lighter condition, in which moreor less o f them will pass over. The arrangement of pipe C and provisionfor cooling it maybe used without the other part of my improvement, orvice versa; but the best results are obtained by using them incombination;

F is a condenser of the ordinary construe tion.

D is a diaphragm, which is placed horizon- 8o tally across theinteriorof the still above where the heat is applied, so as to divide theinterior into two compartments. This diaphragm is perforated sufcicntlyto admit freely of the passage of the vapors from the petroleum. 8 5 Thepetroleum to be distilled is introduced below the diaphragm. On top ofthe diaparagm u vis placed the materialE, which is to permit of thepassage of the lighter vapors before it permits of the passage of theheavier products. 9o 'Ihe particular material which I prefer for thispurpose iseither broken pumice-stone or bituminous coke, because thesesubstances, being in a state of suicient division to produceconsiderable extent of condensingsurlace, satisfactorily perform thefunctions which I require of them, while they do not act chemically onthe vapors or tend to deteriorate the same; but I do not limit myself tothese materials.

Others will answer a good purpose. This maroo terial, not being directlysubject to the heat, will bc continually cooler than the vapors.

The dimensions and relative proportions of the parts may be varied anddiffer under different circumstances and for different sizes of still,and I do not limit myself to the same, but with a still of the formshown I should advise about the following, viz: diaphragm about twentyinches from top of still; layer of material about ten inches deep; sizeof perforations of diaphragm about one-thirtysecond to one-half inch;distance between perforations about one-half to one-quarter inch;inclination of pipe C about onehalf inch to the foot. If pumice-stone beused, size of pieces one-quarter to one inch in diameter. Heat to beapplied at bottom and preferably less than onet-hird upward of thestill.

The operation is as follows: W'hen the distillation commences,thelighteringredients go off in the form of vapors, carrying with them moreor less of the heavier ingredients and earthy matters. The lightervapors pass through the material E. The heavier vapors are largelycondensed by this material and drip back into the lower part of thestill. The earthy matter largely deposits on the material E. If any oftheheavier vapors escape through the material E, they condense in thepipe C and flow back into the still. As the heat in-` creases the weightof the vapors which will pass through the material E increases untilfinally substantially all of the contents of the still required aredistilled. The condensation of the heavier vapors by the material E andin the pipe C, both of which are cooler than the heavier vapors, iscontinually going on, and

' they are continually returning to the still, and

each succeeding time that these vapors come up they are in a more orless lighter condition than before. The separation and purification ofthe ingredients will be found to be exceedingly perfect.

Thus by a simple and inexpensive process I amenabled to get a purity ofproduct which I believe to have been heretofore unattainable inpractical manufacture. y

I am aware of Letters Patent No. 215,756, granted to J. L. Kirk, May 27,1879, and lay no claim to anything therein described. The methoddescribed in said patent is one of those attempted continuousdistillations which have always been unsuccessful in practice. In saidpatent the filters are placed within the furnace, in order that they maybe kept at the same temperature as the vapors, thus preventingcondensation at this-stage of the distillation.77 In practicing myprocess, the furnace being at the lower part of the still, the materialE is at a lower degree of temperature than the vapors, which isessential for the condensation of the vapors, by which I accomplish theseparation. I thus obtain a mode of operation and results which wereimpossible with the contrivance described in said patent.

I am aware of English Patents No. 1,117 of 1858, and No. 1,295 of 1863,and I do not claim anything described in these patents. The substancesinterposed in the path of the products of distillation as described inthese patents are such as to produce a chemical action upon the vapors.'The substances which I use are of such a character as to producesubstantially no chemical action on the vapors, but merely to act as anobstructant or condenser to the free egress of the vapors, therebycausing a partial condensation of the heavier vapors, which drop backinto the liquid and are thence redistilled.

I am aware of United States Patent to Ellis and Kattell, No. 68,860,September 17, 1867, and English Patent No. 1,824 of 1882. In thesepatents the vapors are produced by the direct action of steam. I do notclaim processes of this character. I apply the heat to the oil, not bymingling steam with it, but by heat applied to the outside'of theoil-receptacle, or from what would be the equivalent hot lues or pipesimmersed in the oil.

I am also aware of United States patent to Prentiss, No. 87,792, March16, 1869, where there is a condenser arranged at a distance from thestill with a vessel interposed between them, within which the vapors,after passing downward, are caused to bubble up through a body of theliquid on its way to the still. I do not claim processes of thischaracter. In my process the vapors pass from the oil directly throughthe divided material. which is to produce the condensation, asheretofore fully described. g

I am aware of Patent No. 307,961, to E. Konig, in which vapors arepassed from the still through various chambers containing long columnsof cooling substances and various rectiiiers. I do not claim that whichis described in this patent. By the arrangement of the divided material,as I have shown and described it, on a perforated diaphragm within thestill the vapors are caused to encounter the divided material while insubstantially the condition in which they rise from the liquid mass, andthe surface of the material being extended in comparison with its depththe obstruction afforded materially impedes only that portion of thevapors which it is desirable to redistill.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to A'secure by Letters Patent,is

l. In the process of distilling crude petroleum, passing the lightvapors of the petroleum through a thin layer of divided material locatedupon a perforated diaphragm above the surface of the liquid and withinthe bodyV of the still, and which material is at a lower degree oftemperature than the vapors and does not substantially act chemicallyupon the vapors, whereby the heavier vapors are obstructed and caused toreturn for redistillation, substantially as described.

2. In the process of distilling crude petroleum, passing the lightvapors of the petroleum through a thin layer of divided material withinthe body of the still having an eX- tendedsurface in comparison with itsdepth, which material is at a lower degree of temperature than thevapors and does not substantially act chemically upon the vapors,

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whereby the heavier vapors are obstructed and caused to return forredistillation, substantially as described.

3. In the process of distillng crude petro- 5 leum, passing thelightvapors of the petroleum through a thin layer of divided material locatedupon a diaphragm immediately above the surface of the liquid and Withinthe body of the still, and which material is at a lower Io degree oftemperature than the vapors and does not act chemically upon the vapors,thence passing the light vapors as they leave the still through a pipeinclined upwardly and cooled sufficiently to condense the heaviervapors, but not suficiently to condense the 15 lighter vapors,whereby bythe action of said divided materials and said cooled pipe the heaviervapors are condensed and fall back into 4 the still for redistillation,while the vapors pass over into the condenser, substantially as 2odescribed.

GEO. H. KLINE.

VViinessesz DANIEL H. DRIsCoLL, WM. G. LIPsEY.

